Grants

Upcoming grant & award deadlines from PA Environment Digest: http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=45853&SubjectID=

Grant Program Funder Area of Interest Eligible Region Eligible Applicantssort descending Award Amount Date Due
2022 Regional Trail Workshop Grants

WeConservePA is offering grants of up to $5,000 to conservation-oriented non-profit organizations or local/county governments to support their local trail and greenway outreach and education efforts. WeConservePA, Regional Trail Workshop Grants are awarded to support high-quality educational programming and safety training directly related to trails and greenways. Regional Trail Workshop Grants are reimbursement grants that cover up to 80 percent of the costs directly associated with each workshop (not to exceed $5,000) and require a 20 percent match from the organization.

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Funder:
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship
Eligible Applicants:
conservation-oriented non-profit organizations or local/county governments
Award Amount:
$5,000
01/27/2022
Fall 2022 Supplement - Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants

Supplemental Funding Round for Fall 2022!

PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) provides technical and grant assistance in support of community projects related to park and recreation facilities, trails, rivers and open space. Bureau resources also support many of the Commonwealth’s conservation, recreation and heritage partners.

Applicants are also encouraged to consider the following priorities identified in the 2020-2024 Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and how they may relate or be integrated into your community project:

  • Community Parks & Recreation: Priority projects in this category include projects that help rehab existing parks and those that improve access for all.
  • Land Conservation/Watershed Protection: Priority projects in this category include land conservation projects that protect critical habitat, climate resilient lands, forested watersheds, wetlands, and riparian corridors or create critical connections between public or conservation lands.
  • Watershed Restoration/Rivers Implementation: Priority projects in this category include projects that enhance public access to Pennsylvania’s waterways or projects that improve Pennsylvania’s watersheds and waterways including the planting of riparian forest buffers.
  • Trails: Priority projects in this category include projects that close Priority Trail Gap

Click here for Fall 2022 Supplemental Round FAQ

Click here for the complete Suplemental Round guidance package

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Funder:
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Counties, municipalities, councils of governments, conservation districts, and most non-profit organizations are eligible. Non-profit organizations must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 and be registered with PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations
Award Amount:
$50,000 - $5,000,000
October 27, 2022
Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants

DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) assists local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to parks, recreation, planning, and conservation. Applications for DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants are accepted once a year, typically during the spring. Grants also support regional and statewide partnerships that build capacity to better develop and manage resources.

Tutorial videos: 

Before starting your grant application, contact your DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation regional advisor for advice on making your project as competitive as possible for funding.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Recreation, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Counties, Municipalities, Municipal agencies, Nonprofis, State Heritage Areas, Prequalified land trusts, For-profit enterprises
Award Amount:
Varies
04/05/2023
Pennsylvania Lake Management Society Mini-Grants

The Pennsylvania Lake Management Society (PALMS), with funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, is pleased to offer assistance to address lake-related issues of critically eroded shorelines, excess nutrient loading, and/or aquatic invasive species that degrade the quality of lakes in the Commonwealth. Through this program, we are offering a limited number of mini-grants on a competitive basis of up to $24,000 to correct identified lake problems such as stabilize shorelines, establish riparian buffers, reduce nutrients, and control invasive species.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Lake Management Society
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater
Eligible Applicants:
county and state agencies, municipalities, non-profits, and landowners
Award Amount:
up to $24,000
01/28/2022
County Recycling Coordinator Grants

The County Recycling Coordinator Grants outlined in Section 903 provide a 50 percent reimbursement for County Recycling Coordinators’ salary and expenses. This grant is only available to Pennsylvania county governments.

Application Dates for Calendar Year 2022:

Opens – January 2, 2023
Closes – May 1, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

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Funder:
PA Department of Environmental Protection
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship
Eligible Region:
Commonwealth of PA
Eligible Applicants:
County government
Award Amount:
up to 50% salary and expenses
May 1, 2023
Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund

Through the Fund, OSI provides three types of grants for partners within the Delaware River Watershed Initiative:

  1. Capital Grants (for Forest Land and/or Farm Buffer projects)
  2. Transaction Grants (to jump start land conservation efforts)
  3. and Catalyst Grants (to integrate water quality science into open space plans)
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Funder:
William Penn Foundation, Open Space Institute
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Delaware River Watershed Initiative Cluster Focus Areas
Eligible Applicants:
Delaware River Watershed Initiative Cluster Partners
Award Amount:
No minimum or maximum grant size; typically between $75,000-$450,000
January 20, 2023
2023 Urgent Issue on Water Trail Mini-Grant

This pilot project is an approach to providing funding for urgent, unforeseen situations on designated water trails that impede or impair access, create unsafe conditions/ safety concerns for paddlers or others who want to access the water trail, affect safe ingress/egress from the water trail, etc.

Such situations could include, but are not limited to,

  • Storm-induced scouring, flooding, debris impoundments that severely impact navigation.
  • Fallen trees or other large obstructions caused by a storm or other event that will prohibit or severely impact an imminent sojourn, paddle fest, race, etc. 
  • A situation where there is a major in-water litter/trash issue immediately prior to a planned community event, paddle, race, etc.
  • A situation in which an access improvement/ enhancement project was funded and is almost complete, but an unforeseen event or situation threatens to prevent the project from being completed without a small infusion of extra funding.
  • The destruction of a safety or wayfinding sign at an access point, if the sign was critical to orienting paddlers or providing critical information about a river hazard, portage, dam, 

In short, the situation must be caused by an “unanticipated” event, or one that could not be reasonably planned for. A known ongoing situation that was simply not addressed in time would not qualify. This funding should be viewed as a “last resort.” 

If the applicant is not the Water Trail Manager, applicant must contact the Water Trail Manager before applying to this funding. Additional, all applicants must contact one of the Water Trail Program Partners at PEC, DCNR or PFBC prior to applying.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Environmental Council/PA DCNR
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship
Eligible Region:
PA Water Trails
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible applicants include registered non-profit organizations and public entities (such as a county, municipality, or municipal agency).
Award Amount:
up to $2,000
rolling up to 12/31/2024
Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination between NRCS and its partners to deliver conservation assistance to producers and landowners through partnership agreements, program contracts, or conservation easement agreements.
Project applications are now being accepted for locally driven, public-private partnerships that improve the nation’s water quality (including drinking water sources), combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat, and protect agricultural viability.

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Funder:
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Region:
See grant link for a map of eligible areas
Eligible Applicants:
Farmers and Landowners OR Eligible Partner Organizations, including: Farmer Cooperatives, State or local governments, Native Tribes, Water Districts, Municipal water and wastewater treatment entities, Higher education institutions, other established NGOs
Award Amount:
$250,000 - $10 million
05-28-2021
Resource Enhancement & Protection Program (REAP)

Through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program, farmers, landowner, and businesses earn tax credits for implementing "Best Management Practices" (BMPs) that will enhance farm production and protect natural resources. REAP is a first-come, first-served program that enables farmers, businesses, and landowners to earn PA income tax credits to offset the cost of implementing conservation practices.  Tax credits provided by the REAP program helps farmers off-set the costs of implementing best management practices (BMPs) that benefit their farms and work to protect water quality at the same time.

REAP provides funding at levels of 50% - 90% of costs incurred in the implementation of BMPs that reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution.

  • Projects eligible for 50% reimbursement: no-till planting equipment; precision nutrient application equipment; manure storage structures; cover crops; grazing practices; forested riparian buffers; others
  • Projects eligible for 75% reimbursement: BMPs that reduce pollution runoff from animal concentration areas; Nutrient/Manure Management Plans; Conservation/Ag E&S Plans; others
  • Projects eligible for 90% reimbursement (In a TMDL designated watershed) - multi-species cover crops; forested riparian buffers (50+ ft wide); livestock exclusion from streams and associated practices; others

Applications are accepting beginning on the first Monday in August of each calendar year.

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Funder:
PA Department of Agriculture
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Farmers OR a sponsor
Award Amount:
up to $250,000 of REAP tax credits in a 7-year period
Rolling
DEP Agriculture Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

DEP is offering rebates to Pennsylvania agricultural producers for energy efficiency projects. Applications are being accepted effective September 20, 2021, and rebates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funding is available, through March 31, 2022.

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Funder:
DEP
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Applicants:
Farmers who are commercial agriculture producers who conduct normal farming operations in Pennsylvania.
06/30/2023

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